An end to March Madness

View full sizeAP PhotoDuke player Lance Thomas hugs John Scheyer, right, as they celebrate after their 61-59 win over Butler in the NCAA college basketball championship game Monday, April 5, 2010, in Indianapolis.With a missed half-court heave at the game's end, Duke University captured its fourth national championship in school history. The game also brought an end to a time when basketball fans salivate in front of their televisions, a time known as March Madness.

Contrary to popular belief, March Madness does not just include the National Tournament, it includes the individual conference championships that lead up to the National Tournament. This year there were tremendous victories, as well as stunning upsets. Kansas was the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated in the second round of the tournament by Northern Iowa. The next No. 1 seed to be eliminated was Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen by runner-up Butler. The third No. 1 seed to be eliminated was Kentucky in the Elite Eight by West Virginia. Duke, the final No. 1 seed eventually went on to be crowned national champs.

Aside from the No. 1 seeds, there were other shockers in the tournament. Perhaps the biggest sleeper team, No. 10 seed St. Mary's, advanced into the Sweet Sixteen where they were defeated by No. 3 seed Baylor. Other sleeper teams like a very talented Cornell team, a No. 12 seed, also advanced into the Sweet Sixteen.

March Madness is a time that basketball fans mark on their calenders. It is a time when anything you do up until that point has no relevence. That is what makes March so Mad; anything can happen! Upsets and shockers can happen at any time, you could be the best team in the country and be knocked off of your pedestal. But all things come to an end, and on April 5, when the buzzer sounded at the national championship game, there came an end to the madness.